14 Fresno area residents busted in child porn sting

14 Fresno area residents are in jail, after federal and local authorities teamed up to get child predators off the internet and away from children.

During the operation, three local kids were also rescued from sex abuse. One of the suspects arrested, slipped through the system until now.

Bradley Vaine was convicted of sex abuse in New Hampshire before he moved to Fresno, about a year ago. Investigators will only say it was for an extended time, he abused a helpless child who already faced many challenges.

Vaine, 26, lived inside a Central Fresno apartment complex with a 7-year-old little girl who is disabled. Federal agents searched a home late last year, where investigators say they rescued the child from sexual abuse. Because of her disability, the girl is even unable to speak.

Mike Prado with the Department of Homeland Security said, "In that particular case, because of the horrific abuse that we found, and the developmental disability of that child, that ranks among the heart wrenching cases that I've ever been a part of in my career."

Vaine is one of 14 sexual predators federal agents say they arrested locally during a five week nationwide sting called Operation Sunflower. Two other local children were also taken from what agents say was active abuse.

According to federal agents, Samuel Gueydan, 42, of Clovis had more than a million images of child pornography on his computers when he was arrested. Court records show Gueydan said he sets the computers to various sites and lets them cook, basically downloading content from the internet all day.

Action News was there in late October when Fresno County Sheriff's deputies took Shane Paul Young, 42, into custody. Deputies went to check on him after federal agents suspected he may be downloading child pornography. Young was already a convicted sex offender who was not in compliance.

Investigators say the victims, some as young as infants continue to be violated each time a new person views the disturbing pictures and videos.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said, "Even when they're adults, these images will still be out there for others who want to prey on children, to do so."

Fresno County District Attorneys work with federal prosecutors to make sure these suspects are getting the harshest penalties. DA Elizabeth Egan says with the public's help, even more children can be taken out of abusive hands this year.

"One was reported by a family member," Egan said. "I'm asking people to report this crime, because there are children out there who continue to be exploited."

An attorney from Clovis was also arrested during the operation. Agents say they found several hard drives at Kenneth Cavin's home that contained child pornography. He practiced mostly family law in Northwest Fresno.